Section 2: Writing and Language
Park Rangers, Naturally
1. B This question asks for the answer choice that would NOT be acceptable, so the underlined
portion is correct as it stands. Choice (B) is the correct response because the other answer
choices match the underlined portion—they set off the abbreviation NPS from its official
name of National Park Services.
2. D Use POE here, since there doesn’t seem to be a common thread being tested on this
question. Eliminate (B) and (C) because pulchritudinous and pretty basically mean the
same thing, making these choices interchangeable and impossible to choose between. Go
back to the passage and notice that it already uses the phrase marveled at the natural
beauty, so using another word to describe its beauty again would be redundant. Therefore,
eliminate (A). Choice (D) is the most concise response, and therefore the correct answer.
3. A Notice the question! You’re asked for a choice that will include detail to clarify day-to-day
operations. Look at the next sentence, which describes the activities of the park rangers. It
states that they are in charge of the park’s upkeep and maintain the balance between the
wildlife and plant species and the human visitors. Both of these correspond with the
underlined portion of maintenance and tours. Nothing is stated about the length of the
tasks, whether or not they are repetitive, or the political aspects of them, so eliminate (B),
(C), and (D). Choice (A) provides the detail the question asks for and is the correct answer.
4. C The idea before the punctuation, These park rangers are responsible for the upkeep of the
parks, is a complete idea, as is the clause, their main responsibility is to maintain the
balance between the wildlife and plant species and the human visitors that come to the
parks every day, that follows it. Therefore, a comma alone cannot separate two complete
ideas, so eliminate (A) and (D). Eliminate (B) as well, because punctuation is needed to
separate two complete ideas. Choice (C) is the correct answer because a dash (HALF-
STOP punctuation) can be used to separate these complete ideas.
5. B The paragraph describes the park rangers as scientists, educators, and professionals with
backgrounds in law enforcement and firefighting. Look for the answer choice that is
consistent with this type of diversity. Eliminate (A) because pollution is not talked about in
the paragraph, as well as (C) because the paragraph is not interested in the visitors to the
park. Ecology is too limited for (D), so eliminate it. You’re left with (B), which is the
correct answer.
6. D Look to the previous sentence, which describes some of the park rangers, and notice the
phrase Some are scientists who revel. Since the next sentence is also describing the park
rangers, it needs to be consistent and parallel with the previous sentence, so it should be
Some are educators who help. Choice (D) is the correct response.
7. B Notice that the answer choices are pronouns, so look at the current sentence to determine
what the pronoun them refers to; this might be unclear because both posts and municipal
